Starting a consumer brand can be a challenging, and can also be incredibly fun. Below are a few steps to get you started on the right foot, as well as a few anecdotes on how we executed them at BottleKeeper:

Identify a Gap in the Market

First, identify a need or problem in the market that your brand can address. This could be a new product or a unique twist on an existing product. // At BottleKeeper this happened while trying to drink a cold one on the beach out of a red plastic cup...there had to be a better way.

Develop a Unique Value Proposition

Your brand should have a clear and compelling value proposition that sets it apart from competitors. This could be based on the quality of your product, its unique features, or the benefits it provides to customers. // For us, the product was certainly unique and we knew we could make it of high quality, this did take some time to figure out.

Create a Strong and Consistent Brand Identity

Develop a strong brand identity that reflects the values and personality of your brand. This could include a logo, color scheme, and other visual elements, as well as a brand voice and tone. // We kept the voice completely in-house -- I wrote all of the content for the entire history of the company, which made it extremely focused and consistent.

Create a Marketing Plan

Develop a marketing plan to reach potential customers and promote your brand. This could include tactics such as social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, and advertising. // We did all of these, starting with social media on Facebook that led to (lots of) paid advertising.

Create a Great Customer Experience

Provide excellent customer service and support to build a loyal customer base. This could include offering personalized assistance, responding to ALL customer inquiries, and making their experience unique. // This topic is critical -- your customer needs to leave the interactions with your company and say, preferably out loud, "Wow, I can't believe that just happened!"

Use Feedback to Continuously Improve and Innovate

As your brand grows, continue to innovate and improve your product and customer experience. This could involve launching new products, updating existing products, and gathering customer feedback to inform future decisions. // Feedback is key, gather it up as much as you can and LISTEN TO IT! And don't forget to use that feedback to iterate your product lines -- this was a big problem at BottleKeeper as it took far too long to launch additional products, although it all worked out in the end :)